Kaczmarek rules out handing control of PZU to Eureko

Treasury Minister Wieslaw Kaczmarek stated yesterday that he has no intention of selling a controlling stake in leading insurance company PZU to pan-European holding Eureko. He also accused Eureko of preferring to complain in the international arena, rather than seeking a compromise. Kaczmarek's statement comes just ahead of a visit to Poland today by European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who is expected to urge the government to resolve the conflict with Eureko over the PZU privatization. "It is the right of every state to define its policy toward its most important financial companies. I am sure that if Guenter Verheugen finds time to study all the nuances he will evaluate the situation more coolly," Kaczmarek said yesterday in a radio interview. Eureko has demanded that the government honor an agreement signed by the previous Economy Minister to sell it an additional 21% stake in PZU. (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) M.T.